TCFGBH Chapter 15

The night was deep, the dark blue sky adorned with a dazzling array of stars.
The show’s production team had reserved the entire restaurant, leaving only Xia Yan, Tu Xi, and two cameramen.

Of course, after spending so much money on it, they wanted to live stream this event, allowing the viewers to indulge in some sweetness—or rather, given Xia Yan’s reputation, perhaps bittersweet moments. But they decided to film it first and figure the rest out later.

With the presence of outsiders and cameras, Xia Yan was on high alert, his acting skills on full display.

Especially after the system refreshed a side mission on his panel that afternoon: during the shooting of the love variety show, say ten cheesy pick-up lines.

Cheesy lines from a domineering CEO? Xia Yan was confident.

When it comes to self-deprecation, no one does it better than him.

The meal lasted two hours, and the waiter brought out the final dessert on a cart before politely leaving.

A white porcelain plate with a red cake, white cream, and two cute little cherries on top. Xia Yan took a bite, and the sweet and sour flavor burst on his tongue, dispelling the heaviness of the foie gras.

An idea popped into his head: “Xi Xi, today’s dessert is especially sweet. Do you know why?”

Tu Xi, puzzled, played along, “Why?”

“Because anything that is close to you becomes sweet.”

Cheesy pick-up line, 1/10.

Who doesn’t love sweet words? Especially from someone who rarely says them. Tu Xi couldn’t resist. A smile appeared in his eyes as he scooped up some dessert and offered it to Xia Yan. “If you like it, have more. You can have mine too.”

The spoon hovered near Xia Yan’s mouth, and he hesitated.

He glanced at Tu Xi’s dessert, noting only a small indentation, confirming Tu Xi hadn’t eaten from it yet. Xia Yan sighed with relief before opening his mouth and cleaning the spoon off entirely.

Tu Xi offered him another spoonful.

Xia Yan: “…”

Alright, the cake is pretty good, after all.

They continued their back-and-forth, with Tu Xi feeding and Xia Yan eating in perfect harmony.
When Xia Yan ate, he looked obedient and focused intently on the spoon. If he didn’t clean the spoon, he’d lick it, his pink tongue flicking out, an action both innocent and oddly suggestive.
It was just feeding, but it made people’s hearts race.

The cameramen seemed fondly fond of Xia Yan, constantly giving him close-up shots. Yet, no matter the angle, his face held up to the camera’s scrutiny.

[I’m losing it. Let go of my wife! Let me feed him.]

[Wife, do you like cake? Come to my house, I’ll get you a ten-layer cake. This one’s too small for you.]

[Xia Yan saying sweet nothings is so sexy!! The way he says those cheesy lines so seriously makes me feel like I’m really important to him.]

[Snap out of it! He was talking to Tu Xi.]

[He was flirting with someone else earlier today… Now, he’s flirting with Tu Xi tonight. A natural-born heartbreaker is scary. But it’s so tempting. If Xia Yan could say sweet nothings to me, I’d say… Wife, come break my heart, now!]

Tu Xi fans: [….] Forget it, their idol is hopelessly in love. There’s no saving him.

Despite the dessert being small, they had already eaten plenty before.

Xia Yan took two more bites and then shook his head when Tu Xi offered him another spoonful. “I’m full.”

“Alright.”

Tu Xi didn’t force him, calmly eating the rest of the dessert himself.

Xia Yan was startled. “That’s—” mine. He caught himself mid-sentence. A playboy shouldn’t be surprised that his partner was using the same spoon as him.

Noticing the cameraman’s curious glances, Xia Yan awkwardly changed the topic: “…It seems like we like the same things.”

“Apparently.”

Tu Xi smiled, finishing the last of the dessert.

Feeling increasingly uneasy, Xia Yan immediately stood up when Tu Xi was done. “It’s getting late; we should go back to rest.”

“Alright, I’ll carry you.”

“No need, I can walk on—” Xia Yan started to refuse, but stopped under Tu Xi’s serious gaze.
Tu Xi rarely denied Xia Yan’s requests, but he would never allow him to do something harmful to his health.

Defeated, Xia Yan relented, “Carry me on your back.”

He firmly rejected the idea of a princess carry.

“Alright.”

The restaurant was on the twelfth floor, and there was an elevator, so they didn’t have to walk far. Tu Xi effortlessly carried him to the parking lot, where a driver was waiting to take them back. They sat in the backseat, surrounded by cameramen.

The island was newly developed, with few tourists. The roads were empty at night.

Streetlights illuminated small patches of the road, the rest hidden in shadows. The fresh air was refreshing, and the stars were visible, unlike the smog-filled cities.

Exhausted from the day, Xia Yan leaned against the glass window and unknowingly fell asleep.
Tu Xi extended his hand, allowing Xia Yan to lean on his shoulder.

Seeing these two beautiful men was like a work of art, making people hold their breath.

The cameramen instinctively moved more quietly, the driver slowed down, and even the live-stream viewers started typing more softly.

[This is so heartwarming.]

[Tu Xi must really love Xia Yan; the look in his eyes is so deep.]

[If Xia Yan swore to stop flirting with others, maybe… just maybe, I could accept him.] The last stand of a Tu Xi fan.

Most of the comments were positive, with only a few haters, who were largely ignored.

When the car arrived at the villa, Tu Xi gently scooped Xia Yan up and carried him out with ease.
Even though they had seen this once before during the day, it was still impressive to see Tu Xi’s strength.

Unlike some actors who struggle to carry even a lightweight actress.

As a celebrity, Tu Xi was highly attuned to others’ gazes. As soon as he stepped into the villa’s courtyard, he felt someone watching him.

He looked up.

Zhao Wenxiu was standing on the third-floor balcony, looking down at him.

For a brief moment, their eyes met before they both looked away.

The director had briefed the cameramen not to film the Zhao brothers, who were investors and didn’t want to appear on camera.

To the audience, all they saw was Tu Xi looking up, unaware of the silent exchange.

Tu Xi carried Xia Yan to his room and gently kissed his forehead. “Good night, Yan Yan.”

The sleeping Xia Yan naturally didn’t respond.

With the hour growing late and one of the stars already asleep, the cameramen wisely turned off the live stream and politely left.

Tu Xi’s room was next to Xia Yan’s. After seeing the cameramen off, he didn’t go in immediately. Instead, he stood in the hallway.

A minute or two passed.

A door opened at the far end of the corridor, and Zhao Wenxiu stepped out in his suit. “Care to talk?”

“Sure.”

They walked into Zhao Wenxiu’s room and silently stood on the balcony. After a while, Zhao Wenxiu spoke, his tone complicated. “It’s been a long time.”

When Tu Xi mentioned their past earlier, it caught him completely off guard.

He immediately sent someone to investigate Tu Xi’s background.

Despite the Tu family’s attempts to keep a low profile and Tu Xi’s reluctance to use his connections, Zhao Wenxiu uncovered the truth quickly.

He hadn’t expected that Tu Xi was the same boy who had helped him years ago at a banquet.

It had been over a decade since that incident. Zhao Wenxiu was still young at the time, smart but socially awkward. At a banquet, a group of kids had targeted him, causing him to fall into a fountain and get soaked.

As a six or seven-year-old, he was at a loss, unwilling to bother his busy parents.

Tu Xi had passed by, seen his plight, and brought him to the butler, who found him a change of clothes.

They became friends.

They were of similar age and background. Under normal circumstances, they should have grown up as close childhood friends.

But Tu Xi was always busy with tutoring and extracurricular activities. Often, it took him a long time to respond to Zhao Wenxiu’s messages.

Zhao Wenxiu wasn’t particularly outgoing either, so their friendship eventually faded.

Zhao Wenxiu had loving parents, a close brother, devoted friends, and a kind mentor. His life was full of love.

He didn’t dwell on that small act of kindness.

Had Tu Xi not brought it up, he might have entirely forgotten about his childhood friend.

“I’m grateful for what you did back then,” Zhao Wenxiu hesitated before continuing, “but I can’t give up—”

Tu Xi interrupted him, “I think you’ve misunderstood something.”

“?”

“I was simply telling you that anything you offer Xia Yan, I can offer as well. Tell your brother to stop dreaming.”

“You’re too arrogant,” Zhao Wenxiu said, his tone turning cold. “From what I know, you’re not the only grandson in the Tu family. When it comes time to divide the family assets, you might not be wealthier than my brother.”

The Tu family had many descendants, and Tu Xi’s choice to enter the entertainment industry meant he would likely have less influence compared to his cousins working in the family business.
But the Zhao family was different.

There were only two people in the Zhao family, Zhao Wenxiu and his younger brother Zhao Wenhan. Although Zhao Wenhan was only 19 and had recently come of age, his assets included billions in real estate and shares. Coupled with Zhao Wenhan’s infatuation with Xia Yan, the stakes were high. Xia Yan could easily become a billionaire if he were to entertain Zhao Wenhan.

“Comparing me to him?” Tu Xi scoffed, “A mere decorative vase?”

Zhao Wenxiu’s expression turned icy. “Mr. Tu, please refrain from speaking in such a manner about my brother.”

Disparaging his brother in front of him was too much.

“Since we can’t come to an agreement, there’s no point in continuing this discussion,” Tu Xi said, stepping out onto the balcony. The bright light from inside cast a sharp contrast against his cool, dark eyes. “I’ll be waiting for your ‘good news’.”

Zhao Wenxiu watched him leave, feeling frustrated. He rubbed his forehead, recalling his disappointing brother. The stress was overwhelming.

Tu Xi had anticipated that Zhao Wenxiu would try to lure Xia Yan with material wealth, but Zhao Wenxiu’s true intention was still unclear. Observing Xia Yan, Tu Xi noted his genuine nature—though charming and flirtatious, Xia Yan’s eyes were innocent and clear.

Xia Yan was a complex and mysterious character.

—

The next morning, Zhao Wenxiu had a chance to observe Xia Yan closely due to his injury while Tu Xi remained by his side. Only in the afternoon Zhao Wenxiu found a chance to corner Xia Yan on the beach.

“Xia Yan, let’s talk.”

Xia Yan was instantly on high alert, taken aback by the unexpected approach. “Okay.”

They chose a secluded spot for their conversation.

Xia Yan braced for a confrontation, but Zhao Wenxiu’s opening words shocked him.

“I’ll offer you one billion.”

“Excuse me?”

“In US dollars.”

“Are you serious?”

“Leave Tu Xi, and start a relationship with my brother. Then… leave him.”

Xia Yan was stunned. The situation had escalated far beyond his expectations.